Charley Walters: Wild's young talent impresses Scotty Bowman

Minnesota's Erik Haula, middle, celebrates his goal with teammates Marco Scandella, left, and Justin Fontaine, right, during the third period of Game 3 against the Chicago Blackhawks at Xcel Energy Center Arena on May 6, 2014, in St. Paul. Haula is one of six Wild players who are 22 or younger. (Pioneer Press: Sherri LaRose-Chiglo)

Charley Walters

Scotty Bowman, who owns 13 Stanley Cup rings, which make him the best coach in NHL history, realizes the importance of developing young players.

"You have to have players coming all the time now," he said. "They're hard to find. Now, development of young players is crucial."

Bowman has been in St. Paul as an adviser to the reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, who are playing the Minnesota Wild in the playoffs. The Blackhawks have seven players 23 or younger.

The Wild also have top young prospects in their system. Matt Dumba is just 19, Gustav Olofsson 19, Raphael Bussieres 20, Zack Phillips 21, Tyler Graovac 21, Kurtis Gabriel 21, Brett Bulmer 22, Johan Gustafsson 22 and Christian Folin 23. The organization is also high on Mario Lucia, 20, who had 16 goals and 15 assists for Notre Dame last season.

Dumba, an offensive defenseman with a big shot, is playing for the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Hockey League, where he had 24 points in 26 regular-season games and currently has 15 points in 18 playoff games.

Olofsson, a defenseman signed out of Colorado College, finished the season at American Hockey League Des Moines. Phillips, a center, already is a third-year pro. Bulmer, a right wing who led Des Moines in scoring despite some injury problems, also is a third-year pro.

Folin is a big, strong defenseman with a powerful shot from the point. The Wild also like Gustafsson. Gabriel is a 6-foot-4, 214-pound right wing who can skate and who finished the season at Des Moines. Forward Bussieres had a nice first-year season at Des Moines, as did 6-4 scoring center Graovac, who has exceptional hands and vision.

Bowman said the Wild received some criticism two years ago for signing free agents Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to identical $98 million mega-contracts.

"But hockey is big business," Bowman said. "I still have a lot of friends in Detroit (where he coached the Red Wings to consecutive Stanley Cup championships), and they were really after Suter.

"And Charlie Coyle (whom the Wild acquired in a trade with San Jose for Brent Burns), that was a pretty good move. He's going to be a good player. I know young players, and to get a guy like that in a trade is a big deal. Granlund, he's going to be a good center. And centers are hard to get."

Matt Cooke, back with the Wild after a seven-game suspension, said he's actually seen his teammates grow while he was sitting in the stands.

"Decisions that they wouldn't have made during the regular season and that they had a hard time making during the first couple of (playoff) games, now it's a regular occurrence for them," said Cooke, 35, a 16-year NHL veteran.

"They understand it's the playoffs; they understand momentum and how one little turnover affects the rest of the game. There's that much intensity on each play."

Cooke, suspended for a knee-on-knee hit to Colorado's Tyson Barrie in Round 1 of the playoffs, can't afford another ill-timed penalty.

"Obviously, I know that and embrace that," he said. "But I believe in trusting the video work I've put in, the way I've mentally changed my approach to the game. I revisited that while I was suspended, watching games from an objective view. I fully trust in my ability to go out and play."

That bright orange color at the end of Parise's stick is a nice mistake.

"(Manufacturer Easton) makes two different patterns on the back of their sticks -- one is all white and one is orange," Parise explained Friday. "They made a mistake at the beginning of the year. I wanted the white, but they sent me the orange.

"But I started off the year good, so don't switch -- keep those coming. I tend to be a little superstitious."

That was the Blackhawks' Patrick Kane and a handful of teammates dining on Italian sausage and peppers Thursday at Cossetta's in St. Paul.

The Gophers baseball team will honor the program's 1964 NCAA champions at Saturday evening's game against Purdue.

DON'T PRINT THAT

When it was determined that Bob Naegele Jr. would be the principal investor in the expansion Wild 13 years ago, the first person who offered to become a limited partner was Hubbard Broadcasting Chairman Stanley S. Hubbard.

Hubbard is a huge hockey fan. He watched Tuesday night's 4-0 Game 3 victory over the Blackhawks from his suite adjacent to that of Wild owner Craig Leipold. With Hubbard was lifetime friend Johnny Mayasich, a Minnesota hockey icon.

Impressed with the Wild's spirited play after two losses in Chicago, Hubbard asked Mayasich what chance he thought the Wild had to continue winning.

"He said they've got a good chance. If they play like they're playing, they could win the series," Hubbard said.

"I was waiting for him to say, 'Well, it's Chicago and there's no way.' He didn't say that. He was really impressed."

OVERHEARD

Hall of fame coach Scotty Bowman, on legendary late coach Herb Brooks, whose life-size bronze statue is outside the Xcel Energy Center: "I liked Herb because he was innovative. He had a lot of good ideas. He would try a lot of stuff that other coaches might not try."